Although the mayoral elections in Kaohsiung and Taipei have ended, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Huang Chun-ying (
For Huang, defeat by just 1,114 votes is hard to swallow, as pre-election polls showed he was ahead by a solid 20 percent. Therefore, his decision to file a lawsuit and demand a vote recount is understandable and in accordance with the Election and Recall Law (
When the results are this close, being able to certify the winner and loser via a legally mandated recount can only help bring harmony to Kaohsiung's political landscape.
Although Huang's decision to file a lawsuit or demand a vote recount is acceptable, he has not helped his credibility by bringing forward a "witness" who claimed that votes had been miscounted and that duplicate voting notices had been mailed.
First, KMT Legislator Lwo Shih-hsiung (
Second, some of Huang's supporters accused polling station No. 160 at Lunghua Junior High School of incorrectly recording Chen's final vote count as 747 instead of 474, which would have given her 273 more ballots than she actually received. But this proved to be another unfounded accusation, as the number "474" had been clearly written on the blackboard and on the ballot bag at the station. This was later confirmed by the CEC, rebutting claims that there had been any wrongdoing.
Taiwan has held elections since the Japanese era. Although they were fraught with vote buying and government manipulation during KMT rule, society has gradually come to accept that elections have become independent and impartial. With political parties and candidates now closely monitored, mistakes are possible, but there isn't much opportunity for illegal misconduct. Everyone can understand the Huang camp request for a recount. But it's unacceptable for people to use incorrect or fabricated evidence to make false accusations and stir up tensions.
Pan-blue candidates Lien Chan (
A repetition of this in Kaohsiung should be avoided at all costs. The CEC should declare Chen the winner according to its administrative procedures so that the city can get back to business as usual. At the same time, the courts should handle Huang's lawsuit, and if necessary, overturn the results according to legal procedures.
Taiwan already has a legal model for handling election disputes. It doesn't need politicians turning close results into an excuse to fan controversy.
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